In the U.S. it hit the Pop chart on 3/16/68 and reached #83, but didn't make the R&B chart.
See this ARSA page for information on how high it charted in local areas. #2 in Lancaster PA, #15 in Philly PA, #12 in New York, #24 in Detroit MI, and #21 in Cleveland OH. I love checking this site to compare how certain songs did locally compared to nationally. I was a teenager in the Lancaster / Philly area at that time and I do remember it being a huge hit.

The members of The Formations were very, very successful songwriters for a host of acts such as The Futures, Barbara Mason, The Trammps, Eddie Kendricks, The Persuaders, The Vibrations, and had a huge hit with Wilson Pickett on "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You". They were also "Silent Majority" on Hot Wax.....

In the U.S. it hit the Pop chart on 3/16/68 and reached #83, but didn't make the R&B chart.
See this ARSA page for information on how high it charted in local areas. #2 in Lancaster PA, #15 in Philly PA, #12 in New York, #24 in Detroit MI, and #21 in Cleveland OH. I love checking this site to compare how certain songs did locally compared to nationally. I was a teenager in the Lancaster / Philly area at that time and I do remember it being a huge hit.

Indeed .. re-released on John Abbey's Polydor distributed Mojo label .. and charting around the same time as two other NS favourites on that label .. "Girls Are Out To Get You" by THE FASCINATIONS and the UK top tenner "I'm Gonna Run Away from You" by TAMMI LYNN.

1967 Top Of The Stairs on Bank, licensed by MGM 1968, 1969 for Corner Boys on Neptune, oddly enough the same year release as the HotWax release Silent Majority 'Frightened Girl'. (I am assuming so many name changes due to contractual issues?)

Members of the team were co-writing with Leon Huff from the very outset, and I can see how their collaborations with Leon, Thom Bell, Roland Chambers etc led to them being such prominent writers producers with all the acts i mentioned above.

Anyway, here's an seldom heard Formations track issued after 'At The Top of The Stairs', flip side to the inferior 'Love's Not Only for the Heart', with all the trademarks of the emerging Philly sound - french horns etc, great harmonies

The members of The Formations were very, very successful songwriters for a host of acts such as The Futures, Barbara Mason, The Trammps, Eddie Kendricks, The Persuaders, The Vibrations, and had a huge hit with Wilson Pickett on "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You". They were also "Silent Majority" on Hot Wax.....

A beautiful posting, Mike. Thanks so much for this new one to me--and the great info, as well. This recording has a few traces of that Intruders/Delfonics-like styling and sound to it that I have loved forever.

Roger - Many thanks for these recordings. Well, you certainly shed some light on the orchestration piece added onto Mike's posting of GANG WAR. Now I get it. And I thoroughly enjoyed Bunny Sigler's great vocal added to it. It now gave the track a sound very much like J. J. Barnes' BABY PLEASE COME BACK HOME. And, in turn, J. J. Barnes always brought Marvin Gaye to mind for me. What a fascinating linked chain of recordings here. Thanks again Roger.

1967 Top Of The Stairs on Bank, licensed by MGM 1968, 1969 for Corner Boys on Neptune, oddly enough the same year release as the HotWax release Silent Majority 'Frightened Girl'. (I am assuming so many name changes due to contractual issues?)

Members of the team were co-writing with Leon Huff from the very outset, and I can see how their collaborations with Leon, Thom Bell, Roland Chambers etc led to them being such prominent writers producers with all the acts i mentioned above.

Anyway, here's an seldom heard Formations track issued after 'At The Top of The Stairs', flip side to the inferior 'Love's Not Only for the Heart', with all the trademarks of the emerging Philly sound - french horns etc, great harmonies

Wait a second. Wait a second. B-side? Say it isn't so, Mike. Clearly literally wreaks of A-sidedness, from start to finish. A-sidedness on the order of HDH's GOING DOWN FOR THE THIRD TIME by The Super Dolls (as DJ Hy Lit would call them). LONELY VOICE OF LOVE is terrific--very Isley Guys (yes, Hy Lit again). Thank you so much for posting this. A true beauty--a neglected beauty.

As we are on a roll with Akines, Bellmon, Turner, Drayton, here's one they wrote and produced on Barbara Mason..... one of them also contributed the strong male vocal that comes in now and again... Sunday Saint Weekday Sinner

A favourite album, that sadly does not get the respect it is due......

Another comp with "At the Top of the Stairs" is the UK Goldmine Soul Supply CD, "Out on the Floor Again".

They also wrote "Something Fishy Goin' On" by Universal Mind, which came out on Gene Redd's Red Coach label, which begs the question...were they Universal Mind as well? It comes after the Hot Ice track chronologically, which makes me believe that this could be true.

Mark, might be a slim lead, but I guess Bobby Eli is probably best placed to answer your question on Universal mind, given that he and BHY played on the sessions - BHY and I played on the sessions at Jesse James Future Gold Studios at 19th and Cheltenham ave in Philly in 1973

Mike - LOVE DON'T RUB OFF is a good one that's new to me. ICE COLD LOVE was a real kick. And new to me, also. Really got a charge out of the back-up singers. A bit of a 40s-feel to what they were doing, and what that was was awfully good. Thanks very much.

Indeed .. re-released on John Abbey's Polydor distributed Mojo label .. and charting around the same time as two other NS favourites on that label .. "Girls Are Out To Get You" by THE FASCINATIONS and the UK top tenner "I'm Gonna Run Away from You" by TAMMI LYNN. Roger

...all 3 were included on a fab UK Mojo label compilation LP ...Workin' ...that also included... Jean Knight's ...Mr Big Stuff ...and Chuck Wood's ...Seven Days Too Long ...as I recall ...I also recall that I had said LP nicked at a party ...c. 1972 ...and have not seen hide nor hair of it since ...not even on ebay...!

May I mention, if it has not been already, that 'At the top of the stairs', may have been originally released on 'Bank' records locally before being picked up by MGM. Also Buddy Turner told me it was recorded at 309 Broad Street/Philly at the Cameo Parkway studios. The group was originally told to go away and work on their vocals, so they did at Jerry Akines home in the basement. Note Richard Rome (The Ritchie Family) was the arranger. A fabulous song and production. Yes, Magic melody on the flip is good too. Well done NS jocks for never playing it ;-)

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